Abstract:

The atmospheric environment continues to be increasingly affected by air pollutants which are heavily released into the ambient air, especially in developing countries such as China. This has led to severe effects on public health. Sichuan Province, which is the economic centre of southwestern China, is characterised by an increasing number of industries and vehicle use. It also abounds with natural resources, high biodiversity and increased socioeconomic development. The growing number of industries, vehicle usage and exploitation of natural resources have contributed to the high levels of air pollutant concentrations in the province. Recent analyses of air pollution parameters are also scanty. This research analyses the current trend of particulate matter (PM), sulphur oxide (SO2), nitrogen oxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and ozone (O3) using the recent atmospheric parameter datasets. The results showed a negative (decrease) trend in PM2.5, PM10, SO2 and CO concentrations, a positive (increase) trend for O3 and an irregular trend for NO2 concentrations in the province between 2015 and 2020. It may be concluded that air quality has improved in Sichuan for most of the pollutants. However, proper management strategies should be taken to control O3 and NO2 due to their increasing and irregular trends, respectively.

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